LETTER: Regeneration plans for Knottingley

Express Letters Page

In response to the letter from Ray Pick (Express, February 11) I would like to assure him we have ambitious plans for the regeneration of our whole district - as a place where people want to live, work and do business.

Regeneration is not just about what the council can deliver, but also about private sector investment. Part of our work is to help attract this investment and help deliver partnerships to bring new jobs and homes to the area.

In Knottingley and the surrounding area we are seeing that investment is making a difference.

To give some examples of what’s happening in Knottingley - work is due to start on a new power station at the former Oxiris Chemical Plant, which it is anticipated will create more than 1,000 construction jobs and 50 permanent jobs. Gleeson Housing Development is building 176 homes on Pontefract Road, which will create jobs for local people for the next eight years and inject £7m into the local economy.

And in the town centre Lidl is due to open a new supermarket which will providing local jobs for local people.

Additionally, TJX Europe is creating the largest ever pre-let facility on the M62 corridor, which will create 1,271 new jobs and safeguard 500 existing jobs.

These and other projects are all helping to build a positive future for Knottingley and the wider district.